Letters to the editor: Heavy costs

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Tell me: What have we gained by fighting the Taliban? The cost has been outrageous. The type of weaponry we have to use now is too costly. Russia never got anywhere, so they got out. We have another Vietnam War - no winners and heavy costs.

Do you not think that the money spent in this manner doesn't pull down our own infrastructure? We have interrupted the home life of many soldiers' families.

Harold Mcwithey

TampaAn inspiration

Regarding "She's back on her feet" (front page, June 18): Nicole Nugent, little Ireland Nugent's mother, stated, "I just think she's going to do something someday. She's going to be somebody." Contrasted with the story on the cross diver in the diversion program, I have news for her: At Ireland's young age, many of us can only aspire to what she has already become.

Lane McAlister

TampaImperial regime

Regarding "For nation to move forward, Holder has to go" (Other Views, June 13): U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross presented a compelling case for the forced resignation of Eric Holder as attorney general. Unfortunately, the concept of accountability is foreign to the Obama regime. Operatives who lie or who violate the Constitution pay no consequence. Instead, they are rewarded with promotions, as in the case of Susan Rice, or paid vacations, as in the case of Lois Lerner.

This most imperial of regimes is above the law in every respect. Having a loyalist such as Holder resign for the trivial offense of engaging in wholesale abuses of power and violations of the Constitution would diminish the aura of absolute authority that must surround this narcissist of a president.

Jeffrey P. Meyer

TampaDamaging reform

Once again Republicans are being urged to agree to an amnesty for illegal immigrants. As usual, the proposed amnesty is poorly camouflaged. What effect would such an amnesty have on the Republican Party?

Well, let's see. The big majority of illegals come from the lowest socioeconomic levels of Mexico and other countries. In general, they are very poor and uneducated and have few resources of their own to fall back on. It should be noted that such a needy cohort represents a tailor-made, ideal constituency for the Democratic Party.

Speaking of the Democrats, they are not about to stand idly by and allow the Republicans to get any credit whatsoever for an amnesty. Should "comprehensive immigration reform" pass, the Democrats will surely open a bidding war for the loyalty of the newly minted U.S. citizens.

There is no way that the GOP can match the Democrats, benefit for benefit, in such a contest. The Democrats will win the benefits slugfest hands down and walk away with the undying loyalty of the new citizens, now voters, who will neither care nor even remember that the GOP once upon a time supported their "pathway to citizenship".

Incredibly, there are many Republican officeholders and pundits who believe that the GOP can out-Democrat the Democrats, most notably our own senator, Marco Rubio. But there is no way around it: "Comprehensive immigration reform" will seriously damage the GOP for generations to come.

Darwin P. Moradiellos

TampaOut of position

I was taught to follow through when I learned to pitch a baseball. Follow through meant both feet were facing the batter after delivery. I was in a stance ready to field the baseball. The professional ballplayers I have seen are standing sideways to the hitter after delivery. How can they field a hard hit ball in this stance? Don't tell me how fast the ball was going - I've had balls hit very hard straight at me.

Bruce Horn

Bartow

Demeaning ruling

Clearly, the U.S. Supreme Court was just defining federal voting regulations in making its no-proof-of-citizenship ruling. This simply means that the federal rules for voting must be revised to assure this privilege is bestowed upon only legal U.S. citizens who are entitled to vote. Write a simple revision to voter regulations saying the right to vote is for eligible citizens and open only to those who can prove that they are U.S. citizens eligible to vote. A simple solution. The problem is, there are too many simple minds in Congress to correct the wrongs that diminish the rights of U.S. citizens. I, for the first time in my life, question the value of my vote. Every legal U.S. citizen has been demeaned by this Supreme Court ruling.

Lou Christodoulou

Apollo Beach

The bigger number

The news that Amazon may bring a potential 1,000 jobs to the Ruskin area is exciting, no doubt. It would help fill a void of low-paying jobs in this area and fill a business park that has been empty for nearly five years since being constructed. Local politicians, Tribune columnist Joe Henderson and editorial writers are falling all over each other to praise this great development. You write that it will bring needed high-paying jobs that will approach $50,000 a year for 375 of the 1,000 positions. That means we would have 625 jobs that would more than likely pay minimum wage or just above. I am no math major, but the bigger number here is 625. Why is everyone not screaming that Amazon is bringing us 62.5 percent low-paying jobs? I am glad the jobs could be coming, but let everyone know the real story: The jobs are simply not that fabulous.

After a long run in the Tampa Tribune sports department, Joe Henderson now shares his thoughts on the people and places that make up daily life in our city.

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson’s baseball card — if he had one — would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, “The Right Stuff,” southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view.Column | Blog